On the flight from Santiago to Iquique, we will see the wild Pacific Coast and the Andes Mountain Range. The SPONDYLUS expedition team will be waiting for us in Iquique, historical coastal city and old capital of the salt peter industry. We will leave the Pacific coast and drive across the Coastal Mountain Range to get to Humberstone, an old mining town which was abandoned in 1960. We will walk around the streets and buildings of this ghost town. Today it is a National Monument, and in 2005 was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Passing by the town of Pozo Almonte, we will continue going to the South to the National Reserve Pampa Tamarugal. Here, in the middle of an incomparable and magic desert landscape, we will set our camp and will spend the first night of our journey under the clearest and most spectacular star studded sky on earth.

Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Lunch, Dinner

After having a nice outdoor breakfast, we will get ready for the next part of the trip. We will first visit the archaeological site of "Pintados", a group of geoglyphs located on the slopes of the low desert hills. These are great representations made by the ancient cultures that walked the region. After this, we will be driven towards the East passing the town of Pica. The Andes Range in front of us is always our reference. In the afternoon, we will arrive at our camping site at an altitude of approx. 3000 m.a.s.l.

Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After having breakfast, we will pack up our camp and continue our journey. The landscape is progressively more spectacular and after approximately 2 hours, we will get to the high plateau. The view over the Huasco Salt Flat is impressive, it is a scenic treasure hidden in the Andean plateau. The white salt plain is decorated by the view of several mountains in the background, some of which are above 5.000 metres altitude. We will set our camp right on the edge of the salt flat. Later, we will go on a hike to enjoy the incomparable landscape. If we are lucky, we will be able to see flamingos and vicunas in their natural habitat.

Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today, we will continue travelling North. After approximately a 2 hours drive, we will arrive at Cancosa, a town in the altiplano located right in the border with Bolivia. Its inhabitants belong to the Aymara culture, and they live here dedicated to the production of quinoa, and to their llama & alpaca herds, just like their ancestors did. We will stay in a simple accommodation that belongs to a local family. After lunch, we will walk around the village and enjoy some thermal baths.

Accommodation: Basic guest house
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, we will say good bye to our kind hosts. We will get into the vehicles to continue with the trip. We will have our back packs with us, because we will go on one of the hikes in the program. After reaching the altitude of Toroni High Pass at 5.090 metres, we will leave the vehicles behind, and will walk down the valley that will take us straight to the heart of the landscape that stretches out in front of us. If we are lucky, we will be able to see the majestic flight of a condor along our hike of about 6 hours, before arriving at our camp on the shores of the beautiful Diamante Lagoon.

Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We will continue along the Chile – Bolivia border line. After driving for approx. 90 minutes, we will see the majestic Isluga Volcano. Its fumarole at the top indicates us, the direction to get to the Surire Salt Flat Natural Monument. The heart of this park is a luminous salt lake in the middle of a huge high mountain desert plateau at an altitude of 4.250 metres. This ecosystem is the habitat of numerous birds that are very easy to observe. Three species of flamingos can be seen feeding on the shore of the lake. Andean gulls, coots and ducks populate the lagoons, and running at great speed we will be able to see a rhea, that is called “Suri” in this area. We will continue to the foot of Cerro Rojo. This will be the place of our Base Camp that will shelter us for the next three nights. The view over the salt lake is really impressive.

Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today, we will start our trek directly from our camp and climb towards the summit. The route takes us through a queñoa forest of unusual beauty. There is no other tree in the world that grows at such altitude. But soon, the terrain and the altitude will not allow any vegetation to grow, and the slope gets steeper. We will get to an excellent view point on a rocky edge, here we are half way to the summit. Approx. 2 hours later, we will get to the summit after passing by an area between large rock blocks that facilitate the climb. After achieving our goal, we will feel that we are on the roof of the Andes. The view extends over countless snowed peaks, and in the distance we see the 6.000 m. mountains and volcanos near the border. The descent on volcanic sand could not possibly be more pleasant, and soon after this we will be enjoying a hot cup of coffee at the group dinning tent of our Base Camp. (Total time: 6-7 h).

Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The Surire Salt Flat connects to Las Vicuñas National Reserve and continuing to the North there is the Lauca National Park which has been declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. Almost one third of the Chilean bird species can be found here. There are lots of possibilities to see alpacas, vicunas, guanacos and even a rhea, the big flightless bird that looks like an ostrich and lives in this habitat. We will pass over a col near the Northern flank of the Guallatiri Volcano (6.060 m) and arrive at Churiguaya (4.600 m). From here we will do an easy hike of approximately 2 hours going downhill with the view of Lake Chungará and the volcanos Parinacota (6.342 m), Pomerape (6.282 m) & Sajama (6.520 m). We will get to the shore of Lake Chungará near the border with Bolivia. This lake with a deep blue colour, located at 4.538 m.a.s.l., is one of the highest in the world. From here, we will be driven to the view point of the Cotacotani Lagoons, and then to the picturesque town of Parinacota, with its beautiful old church. We spend the night here in a simple accommodation.

Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

With the morning light of the rising sun, we will drive our car to the base of the mountain that we will climb today. At an altitude of approximately 4500 metres above sea level, we will put on our trekking boots and will take our light back pack. We will face the Northeast side of the mountain. The short stops that we make will always give us the opportunity to enjoy the fantastic landscape, and capture it in a photograph. After approximately 3 hours at a slow pace, we will reach the summit of Guane Guane at an altitude of almost 5100 metros. On the summit we will be able to enjoy a good rest. The view over the craters of the twin volcanos Parinacota & Pomerape that are above 6000 metres of altitude, with the Cotacotani Lagoons at their feet, will give us unforgettable moments that we will never forget. After descending, we will go back to Putre, about 2 hours away. Once back at our accommodation, and at dinner time we will toast with a glass of wine, the success of reaching the summit.

Accommodation: Guest house
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today we say good bye to the Andes before going back down to the sea. We will follow the gorges along the sinuous road until we get to the coastal city of Arica. The last part of this interesting journey (approx. 5 hours) will take us to the fertile Valley of Lluta. From here we will make a detour towards the Valley of Azapa and visit the Azapa archaeological museum, very well known for its exhibition of the Chinchorro culture. The oldest mummies in human history are presented here in a very interesting and attractive way. In Arica, we will end our day having a delicious dinner at a typical restaurant. This is the end of our fantastic mountain trip, it is time to say good bye to the local trekking team. We will spend our last night in a beautiful hotel right on the coast of the Pacific Ocean.

Accommodation: Hotel 3-4*
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, transfer to the Calama airport. END OF SERVICE.

Accommodation: -
Meals: Breakfast